UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's

Subject: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Bugsy
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 02:07 AM

Does anyone remember a UK Music hall duo of by the name of "Morris & Cowley"?

I used to go and see them with my parents in Ramsgate during the season in the early 50's. They used to do a comic version of "Sonny Boy", which my dad and I did as a party piece until he died in the late 80's.


Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Bugsy
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 11:55 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 06 - 02:30 PM

have you tried Windyridge www.musichallcds.com they do a wide range of music hall cds and info

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Compton
Date: 27 Feb 06 - 03:46 PM

I think they used to do an act dressed as Chelsea Pensioners. I think they were probably old enough to be Chelsea Pensioner when I saw them.
I do wonder howver if you aren't getting al little mixed up with the great Sandy Powell who used to sing "Sonny Boy" with soem young lad on his knew...and when he got to the one bit, the lad would say, "Daddy, whats my name?...and the bit in the sone would be "Sonny Boy"
If think Ken Dodd does it now with a vent "diidy Man"

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Steve_Cooperator
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 07:31 AM

Reference Grace, beuty and Banjos, Micheal Kilgarriff page 197

Morris & Cowley (fl1923-50s)

Dear Old Pals; The Life Of The Party; Top Gear Comedians

entry reads.....

"Harry (1895-1972) and Frank(d August 11th 1985) Birkenhead emreged from the family act in 1918 as thew Vesta Brothers, changing to Morriss & Cowley five years later.
We are fortunate enough to possess a videotape on which the brothers sing a comic song, one also dancing and the other playting a ukulele. The comedy is simple buit strong, and as they march rapidly off-screen on the final bar we also want to shout 'Bravo!' "

Another Life of the Party was Jack Haig.

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Flash Company
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 11:09 AM

Didn't remember the name, but I think I remember the act...
Tho' there are grey skies (What don't you mind?)
I don't mind the grey skies (What do I do?)
You make them blue (What's my name?)
SONNY BOY

FC

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Carol
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 11:28 AM

there used to be a gentleman that did Sonny Boy at the singarounds at Redcar Festival and I've got to admit i 'pinched' it from him but havn't performed it for a while. the intro goes something like the ventriloquist has forgotten him/her dummy tonite so please use your imagination that the 'high voice' is the dummy and the 'low voice if the performer plus you have to stand and sit according to who you are - jiggered my knee up it did all this jumping about!!

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Compton
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 12:04 PM

The more I have thought about this..I think Sandy Powell did the (cod) vent act....his wife?? stood behind a curtain with a mike and did the words...Morris and Cowley..one of them had a famous son...who is a turn.
Will look into this more!

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 04:46 PM

Morris & Cowley, no doubt named for the car of the time.
In later years the act would have been called Morris & Oxford, or Morris & Minor.

Seamus

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 11:03 PM

Thanks for all the replies. After getting no answers from the first post I began to wonder if it was all a figment of my imagination.

Cheers


Bugsy

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,JDB
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 06:07 PM

I well remember Morris and Cowley appearing in the early days of TV as music hall type comedians who came on as doddering old men with walking sticks and shortly after opening threw the sticks away and performed in vigorous song and dance procedures.

I think that they were in the Good Old Days show and unfortunately the BBC no longer are able to make or offer such gems that appeal to an older audiance.

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,jenny mcdonnell
Date: 12 Sep 11 - 05:14 PM

Hello,
read this with great interest as I beleive they were my ancestors on my Dad's side. Been trying hard to find out about them .Thanks

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Andrew Van Buren
Date: 24 Nov 11 - 08:18 AM

My mum & dad worked with Morris & Cowley the Chelsea Pensioners. We have a picture & sound recording somewhere in our archive. www.vanburen.org.uk

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Ray Turner
Date: 17 Oct 12 - 07:01 PM

My dad Ernest Turner used to accompany Morris & Cowley as a very young man (18) in the early forties before being called up to the armed forces. My mom has a superb signed photograph of Morris & Cowley on which the chaps wished my dad well following his call up. She also has an original music hall poster featuring Morris & Cowley and many other popular artistes of the day. My dad got a mention as their accompanist. Glad to know they're not forgotten.

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 12 - 09:47 PM

I remember that act!

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 18 Oct 12 - 04:06 AM

Funnily enough, I can't remember them ~~~ I put it this way, because I was a keen radio listener to shows like The Happidrome and Music Hall in the 40s-50s, my adolescent years, and well remember many double acts of the age -- Murray and Mooney, Jewell and Warris, &c. So I wonder why such an act so obviously in the same genre should have passed me by.

~M~

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Andy Turner
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 08:42 AM

My brother recently posted about our father Ernest Turner. photo of Morris and Cowley and other artistes can be found here: http://andyturner1.wix.com/ernest-turner

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 09:54 AM

There is a picture at http://www.hippodromebristol.co.uk/Sydney%20Phasey.html with this caption:

"Comedy and dance duo Morris and Cowley (actually, brothers Harry and Frank Birkenhead, who took their stage names from the Morris Cowley car), used to perform as old soldiers, or as cricketers racing across stage. They appeared 13 times [at the Bristol Hippodrome] from 1926 to 1967, latterly in nostalgia weeks."

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Rog Peek
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 10:26 AM

What a facinating collection of photographs. Recognised many of the names from my childhood in the fifties. Thank you for the link Jim.

Rog

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 11:49 AM

HI

An interesting link Jim, thanks.

Michael this act also managed to pass me by as well. Being in the North West we used to get a lot of regional acts a nd shows on the radio. I remember Workers Playtime with the likes of Betty Driver, Norman Evans etc.

Regards
Mikel2

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Terry
Date: 16 Jan 13 - 04:35 PM

Saw Morris & Cowley many times at the Leeds Empire. Their main/usual act consisted of the Chelsea Pensioners sat on a bench or the two cricketers.

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: Sanjay Sircar
Date: 16 Jan 13 - 06:22 PM

Re;
Tho' there are grey skies (What don't you mind?)
I don't mind the grey skies (What do I do?)
You make them blue (What's my name?)
SONNY BOY

The AndrewsSisters have a renditionof "Sonny boy" with just these interjections, or ones like them.

So this adaptation was not restricted to one set of performers.

Sanjay Sircar

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST,Doiug
Date: 09 Sep 14 - 04:36 PM

Subject: RE: UK Music Hall act of 40's/50's
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 18 - 04:26 PM

I do not remember them but I have been married to their Niece for 43 years